Conor Pope

Dublin

Consumer Affairs Correspondent and Pricewatch Editor at Irish Times

I dropped out of the Cubs because it clashed with The Incredible Hulk on the telly. I work for The Irish Times. DMs were open until the X man made me close them

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Articles

Man loses three fingers following machete attack in Dublin

5 days ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

A man had three fingers cut off with a machete, and a caustic substance thrown in his face, in a serious assault in the Clondalkin area of Dublin this afternoon. The man, in his 20s, was taken to Tallaght University Hospital following the attack, which is understood to be related to a feud between two families living in the area. While his injuries are serious, gardaí have said they are not life threatening.
Child/writer article for Conor

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

The 133 cardinal-electors who will choose the next pope had an early start today and were up and about before 7am (Irish time). They headed to the Pauline Chapel adjacent to the Sistine Chapel for morning Mass and after that there was a period of reflection before the second round of voting. There is time allowed for two ballots this morning with the schedule suggesting they will break for lunch before midday.
Papal conclave: Cardinals resume discussions on new pope

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

The Catholic Church’s most senior leaders will this morning resume their discussions on electing a successor to Pope Francis. At almost 8pm on the nose on Wednesday, clouds of black smoke appeared over the Vatican. That meant that the first ballot in the conclave to elect a new pope ended without any one of the 133 potential candidates reaching a two-thirds majority. Today’s vote again takes place in secret inside the famous 15th century Sistine Chapel.
Conclave: Live updates as cardinals set to gather in Sistine Chapel to elect new pope

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

The Catholic Church’s most senior leaders meet today to elect a successor to Pope Francis. The vote takes place in secret inside the famous 15th century chapel with only the colour of the smoke revealing whether the new pontiff has been elected. The ballots of the 133 voting cardinals are burned after each vote. If the smoke from the chimney is black, it is a signal that no pope has been elected. If it’s white, then it’s Habemus Papam – a pope has been elected.
Supermarket prices up almost 5 per cent in 12 months new data shows

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

The speed at which grocery prices are climbing has more than doubled over the last 12 months with the latest data putting year on year supermarket inflation at just under 5 per cent. This time last year there was a degree of optimism that the worst of the cost of living crisis had passed with Kantar Worldpanel suggesting grocery inflation was running at 2.4 per cent, down from highs of close to 17 per cent it had recorded at the height of the price spiral in the summer of 2023.
Irish consumers pay almost €500 more than EU average for energy each year

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

Irish consumers pay almost 30 per cent more than the European Union average for electricity, while the cost of domestic gas is almost 10 per cent higher with the cumulative impact costing Irish households close to €500 a year, new figures suggest. According to data from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical agency, electricity prices in Ireland are the third most expensive in the EU and almost 30 per cent above the average, with only Germans and Danes paying more to heat and light their homes.
Travel insurance and car hire for your holiday: An essential guide

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

Not long now until the summer and many people will have their overseas holidays booked and paid for already. But even if the financial heavy lifting might be done, there are still ways to save – and to waste – money on the cost of summer jaunts, particularly when it comes to the finer detail such as car hire and travel insurance. That is where we come in. Here are some things you might need know to make sure you save rather than waste in the weeks ahead.
Retail lobby group seeks pause on minimum wage hikes

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

Minimum wage increases should be “indefinitely” paused and a range of financial supports rolled out to protect Irish retailers from being forced to shut up shop permanently, an umbrella group representing the sector has said. Retail Excellence Ireland highlighted how the statutory minimum wage increased by 38 per cent from January 2020 to last January climbing from €9.80 to €13.50 and noted it was the second highest minimum wage among EU member states.
What kind of savings interest rates are banks, fintechs and the State offering?

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

This time last year we were living in a high interest environment with successive rate hikes from the European Central Bank (ECB) that saw the cost of borrowing spiral and the potential gains to be made from savings also increasing - albeit at a considerably slower level. There was no real indication things were going to change materially.
Consumers moving to own-brand products amid cost pressure, EY study shows

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Conor Pope

The vast majority of Irish consumers remain concerned about the cost of living crisis with higher prices driving them towards own-brand products in greater numbers, according to new research from EY. How Irish consumers shop has been reshaped with price now firmly the main consideration, according to the EY’s Future Consumer Index, which surveyed more than 20,000 consumers across 26 countries, including more than 500 in Ireland.